Ottawa has purchased a strategic airport hangar facility in the Northwest Territories amid growing geopolitical competition in the Arctic. Defence Minister Bill Blair has warned of Canada’s insufficient presence in the area in light of increasing interest from China and Russia.
In January, the government paid $8.6 million to acquire a leasehold interest and related equipment for the hangar located at Inuvik Airport, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) confirmed in a July 9 email statement.
The move comes as Canada and its allies increasingly focus on Arctic security amid growing strategic interest from Russia and China in the region.
“What we are seeing among adversaries, Russia and China in particular, is a far more assertive approach into what we have always considered our Arctic,” Mr. Blair said during the
Foreign Policy Security Forum in Washington, D.C., on July 8. He noted these concerns are shared by other Arctic allies, including the United States, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland.
The minister highlighted Canada’s defence gap in the northern frontier, citing security concerns like the extensive maritime border the country shares with Russia.
“Canada has the largest maritime border with Russia, of any country in the world, and frankly, we’re not persistently present there,” he said.
Mr. Blair expressed similar security concerns regarding China, citing a 2023 incident when the regime deployed a spy balloon over the North American continent. The high-altitude surveillance balloon, which was later
shot down by the U.S. military, sparked scrutiny over North America’s defence capabilities and prompted Canada to
summon the Chinese ambassador.
Mr. Blair also raised concerns about other Chinese activities, including its deployment of dual-use ships for intelligence gathering in the Arctic Ocean and efforts to invest in Canada’s critical infrastructure.
“The incursions that we’re seeing, the effort of China, which now calls itself a near-Arctic nation... it is a concern to us. And frankly, I believe that we have a responsibility not just to assert our sovereignty but to be prepared to defend it,” Mr. Blair said.
“I’m not trying to start a fight, I’m trying to prevent one,” he added.
Strategic Role of Inuvik
The acquisition of the 21,000-square-foot hangar at Inuvik’s Mike Zubko Airport aligns with Canada’s efforts to enhance strategic defence capabilities in the Arctic region.Adjacent to an air base of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the hangar has facilitated various military operations, according to
International Logistical Support, the previous owner and operator.
The Inuvik Airport has also served as a pivotal hub for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and NORAD operations, housing one of four
Forward Operating Location (FOL) bases crucial for supporting military exercises and operations across the Arctic region.
In June 2022, the government announced a
$38.6 billion investment plan over 20 years aimed at enhancing NORAD capabilities and upgrading its infrastructure, including the FOL base in Inuvik. Additionally, the government is investing
$230 million to extend the Inuvik Airport runway, highlighting its crucial role in enabling NORAD and the Royal Canadian Air Force to operate effectively in the Arctic regions.
Noé Chartier contributed to this report.
